Kanji

💡 Break 曇 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun glowing with a warm halo at dusk, put 曇 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cloudy" — cloudy. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 震 down and you get 雨 (rain) — droplets falling from under a cloud, and beside it 辰 (early morning / a turn of the season) — a curved blade angled into the earth, the first turn of a plough. Picture rain falling from a cloud, put 震 inside it, and let that scene stand for "quake" — quake / tremble. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 災 down and you get 巛 (stream) — three curling lines of water swirling instead of running straight, and beside it 火 (fire) — a fire with sparks flying off to both sides. Picture a stepping stone in the middle of a flowing river, put 災 inside it, and let that scene stand for "disaster" — disaster. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an overhanging cliff with shelter beneath it: that is what 害 means — harm. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 被 down and you get 衤 (clothing) — the edge of a garment at the left, and beside it 皮 (skin / hide) — a hide pulled off in one piece. Picture clothing folded neatly into a stack, put 被 inside it, and let that scene stand for "suffer" — suffer / incur. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 救 down and you get 求 (seek / request) — arms reaching out from every side toward one thing at the centre, and beside it 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 救 inside it, and let that scene stand for "rescue" — rescue. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 助 down and you get 且 (moreover / also) — a stack of shelves piled one above another, and beside it 力 (power / strength) — an arm flexed to show its strength. Picture a figure straining to lift a weight overhead, put 助 inside it, and let that scene stand for "help" — help. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a wall drawn right around what it holds: that is what 守 means — protect. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 攻 down and you get 工 (craft / work) — a carpenter's tool held level, and beside it 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture a ruler marking off a measured length, put 攻 inside it, and let that scene stand for "attack" — attack. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 勢 down and you get 力 (power / strength) — an arm flexed to show its strength. Picture a weight lifted with strength, put 勢 inside it, and let that scene stand for "force" — force / momentum. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.